Basics of Religious Education — Page 23
23 23 23 23 23 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION come back to earth in the latter days to fulfill the prophecy relating to his second advent. The Ahmadis reject the above statement and hold that it was Jesus who was put on the cross, but he being a righteous man, God delivered him from the ‘accursed death’ of the cross. Jesus did not die on the cross, but fell into a swoon and looked like one dead. He was alive when he was laid in the sepulchre (tomb) and came out of it alive on the third day. Then he met his disciples in secret and assured them of being alive. Jesus as then traveled to Afghanistan and Kashmir, where a portion of his ‘sheep’ — the lost tribes of Israel — were settled. He died in Kashmir and visitors to Srinagr may still see his tomb in the Khan Yar Street. This tomb is still known as that of a prophet, Yuz Asaf , i. e. the tomb of Jesus, the Prophet. After his death, his soul rose to God like the souls of all righteous men. In the Holy Qur’an, there exists a divine promise regarding Jesus Christ: When Allah said, ‘O Jesus, I will cause thee to die (a natural death) and will exalt thee to Myself … (3:56) This Divine promise only meant that God would not allow Jesus Christ to die the accursed death on the cross, but would cause him to die a natural death and would raise his soul to Himself like those of all righteous persons. The Ahmadis interpret the prophecy of the second advent of Jesus in the same way in which Jesus interpreted the prophecy of the second advent of Elijah. Jesus was not to come back in person, but another man was to come in the spirit and character of Jesus, just as John the Baptist came in the spirit and character of Elijah. The prophecy of the second advent of Jesus, the Ahmadis believe, has been fulfilled by the advent of Hadrat Ahmad as , who came in the spirit and power of Jesus, as John had come in the spirit and power of Elijah. The non-Ahmadis are expecting a Mahdi who will wage war and spread Islam by means of the sword. The Ahmadis reject such incorrect doctrines. The Mahdi , according to them, is no other than the Promised Messiah who was to come to spread Islam — not with the sword, but by heavenly signs and arguments (see pg. 312). They believe that the Mahdi has already appeared in the person of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian, and they are not looking forward, like the non-Ahmadis, to the advent of a Mahdi who would come to shed non-Muslim blood in the world. Jihad in Islam 1. 6 1. 6 1. 6 1. 6 1. 6 I I I I I S L A M S L A M S L A M S L A M S L A M — A — A — A — A — A H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y YA A A A AT T T T T -T -T -T -T -T H E H E H E H E H E R R R R R E V I V E V I V E V I V E V I V E V I VA L A L A L A L A L O F O F O F O F O F I I I I I S L A M S L A M S L A M S L A M S L A M